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"I feel bare. I didn't realize I wore my secrets as armor until they were gone and now everyone sees me as I really am."

―Veronica Roth, Insurgent—

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"Oh, no…" Falala groaned into her gloves. She and Fololo were hovering in the air when Kirby unceremoniously spilled the beans. "…what are we going to do now, Fololo?" she fretted.

"Nothing," he deadpanned.

"Nothing?" she echoed. She turned to her other half, but Fololo's eyes were half-lidded, not even looking phased at this turn of events. "Fololo…?"

"This is Kirby, Falala. Why are you even surprised she would find out?"

"Good point," Falala conceded with a sigh. "But from where and from who?!"

They caught the accusatory glare Meta Knight was sending in their direction. Fololo shook his head fervently while Falala formed an "x" with her arms. Their message was clear: Don't blame us! We didn't say anything!

Tuff facepalmed. "Not this nonsense again!" he muttered.

"What do you mean?" His mother, Ladylike inquired.

"Kirby was saying he was a girl when we picked him up from Dyna Blade's place. We all thought he was joking! And you…" he turned to Knuckle Joe. "Why are you taking this so well?"

"Well with Kirby anything is possible," Joe reasoned with a shrug.

"But what if Kirby is not a girl as he, er, she proclaims to be?" Sirica asked. "This seems to have come outta nowhere. Maybe he's confused."

"That's an understatement…" Tiff groaned.

Sir Arthur shot up from his seat. The other knights followed his lead. They looked as though they were about to storm the stage.

"Wait! Wait!" Tiff insisted, waving her arms about. "I am sure this is just a misunderstanding! I will go talk to Kirby! Be right back!" She ran up the stage. "Kirby! Why would you say you are a girl?" Tiff demanded.

"Dyna Blade told me!" Kirby answered her with a smile.

Fololo and Falala nearly dropped to the ground at the revelation.

"She did huh?" Tuff sounded skeptical. "How can she if Dyna Blade doesn't even speak?!"

Kirby lost her smile. "Yes, she does," she insisted. "Dyna Blade speaks bird. I lived with Tokkori for years. I learned how to speak bird from him."

Tuff gave her a weird look. "Right… but then again, you are Kirby…"

"A … a girl… this whole time?" Tiff muttered looking mortified. "…Tokkori!" she shrieked. Tiff grabbed the microphone out of the D.J.'s hands. "Let me borrow that for just a second please, thanks! Tokkori, I know you're out there somewhere! Get over here NOW!"

The bird flinched, but in the end, he decided it was better to get it over with. He flew over. "I'm coming! I'm coming! Keep your dress on missy!" Tokkori landed on the stage. "What do you want from me?" he griped sourly.

"Why haven't you said anything about Kirby being a girl!?" Tiff demanded.

"Like I would know!" Tokkori huffed. "I was in the dark just as much as you were!"

"But you lived with him-I-I meant her for years!" Tiff insisted.

"We may be roommates who shared the same bed but I ain't some pervert!" the canary yammered angrily. "It never crossed my mind to take a peep at the private parts if you know what I mean!"

Turning back to their friend, Tiff tried to coax this wild idea out of his head. "Now Kirby…" she began gently. "I think you may be confused. It's okay; we can talk about this later."

Kirby not only looked upset, but she was also beginning to sound it too. "I am not confused! Stop treating me like I don't know what I am talking about, I AM A GIRL!" she shrilled, causing Tiff to flinch backward. The crowd didn't need a mic to hear that one.

"Now, now, settle down everyone!" the town doctor walked up onto the sage. Dr. Yabui took Kirby by the paw. 'This will only take a moment. Come along, Kirby," the Doctor led her off to a private area. "Let's settle this once and for all."

"Good! Go examine Kirby down there and then…" Dedede tapped his forehead. "…up here! Hahahaha!"

The blush on Kirby's cheeks now covered her entire body. Humiliation finally settling in. "Poor Kirby…" Falala pitied her little friend. She didn't deserve any of this. "Grrr! I knew Meta Knight should have talked with her! Now, look at what happened!"

"Yeah," Fololo agreed with her. "Keeping this secret backfired..."

When Dr. Yabui and Kirby went backstage the cappies seated at the tables turned to one another and began to speculate.

"Meta Knight…" Sir Arthur glowered. "…we need to talk-"

"Let us wait for what the doctor has to say, shall we?" he replied.

"To what do you hope to gain by stalling?" Arthur called his bluff. "I know you, and I know something like this would not escape your wit!"

"Is that true, Sir Meta Knight?" Tiff grabbed a fist full of her skirts to jump down from the stage. "Did you know about this?"

Meta Knight glared openly at her for putting him on the spot. "Why do you keep assuming I know everything about Kirby?" he asked sounding completely agitated.

"Not everything," Tiff agreed. "But I'm getting a hunch much like Sir Arthur is that you knew about this one…" She crossed her arms. Tiff knew Meta Knight upheld the Code of Chivalry. That always meant he had to tell the truth. "So, did you?" she pressed.

They all looked to him, waiting on his response. There was no way for Meta Knight to wiggle himself out of this one. "Yes…" he admitted reluctantly. Everyone standing within earshot gasped. "I knew for a short time that Kirby is indeed a female Kiridian-"

"WHAT!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN KIRBY'S A GIRL!" Dedede blabbered with evident horror.

"Heh, hahaha!" Escargoon burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?!" Dedede demanded.

"All these years you have been attempting to beat up a little girl, sire!" Escargoon had the audacity to laugh.

"I… I er…" Dedede actually appeared ashamed but his shame quickly turned to fear when the glowing glares of the Star warriors turned to him. Their swords being unsheathed with a shrill of promised retribution. "…w-well I didn't know!" he yelled out defensively. He held up his arms in surrender before they could pounce on him. "I SWEAR I DIDN'T KNOW!"

Turning away from Dedede, Sir Arthur's eyes went from tinted crimson to a full-blown blood red. "And you still tried to take her as your squire!?"

"Yes, I did," Meta Knight confirmed calmly, far calmer than he felt at the moment.

"I can't believe I ever had to say this about you, Meta, but that's seriously uncool!" Sir Percival growled.

"I did what I had to do," Meta Knight insisted.

"You know the law!" Sir Lancelot hissed. His irises tinting red as well. "Since the destruction of our homeworld, Crescent Starray, all females were forbidden to engage in combat!"

Meta Knight couldn't keep the sharp edge out of his voice as he retorted, "Had I adherent to that rule then eNeMeE would still be alive!"

Not agreeing with Meta Knight's logic, Sir Galahad countered, "eNeMeE has been a thorn in the universe's side for thousands of years! A young wench such as Kirby could have easily perished as many did before her and then where would we be?"

"How interesting…" Meta Knight chuckled morbidly. "Did Kirby's life hold lesser value as a male? You certainly did not care a moment ago if she trained or not-"

"Oh bite your tongue!" Sir Lancelot rebuked him. "You know as well as us that pufflings are especially hard to come by now. They all matter!"

"And we certainly have never approved of you taking Kirby to confront eNeMeE at his stronghold in the first place!" Sir Galahad added. "Regardless of gender!"

"With all that being said, what else do you suggest we do, Meta Knight?" Sir Arthur demanded. "She is one of the last of our Dames! Very few remain unwed within puffling bearing age. Her contribution to the survival of our species is a must!"

"At least let Kirby decide what she wants for herself!" Meta Knight pleaded with them. "We owe her much since we failed to end eNeMeE's tyranny before her birth!"

"Her days as a Star Warrior are over," Arthur stated decisively. "Kirby will understand her place."

"Hm, "understand her place," you say?" Meta Knight echoed bitterly. "Do you think Grande Dame Stella would "understand her place" if she was here?" he snipped callously.

The four other knights surrounding Meta Knight all recoiled at hearing that name.

"…who is Stella?" Tiff was the only one brave enough to ask.

"Oh, Princess Stella…" Sir Arthur pressed his paw against the top of his helmet and tapped five the corners of his mask in the shape of a star. The other knights, including Meta Knight, mimicked the gesture. "…may Nova rest her noble soul!"

Sir Percival appeared visibly shaken. "That's a low blow, Meta Knight! Did you have to bring up the name of our poor departed Princess like that?"

"To bring you all back to your senses, yes! Stella would be furious if we were to force our greatest Star Warrior into becoming coddled breeding stock! Surely you remember how our princess defied her own father the king to become a soldier! Was she not one of the greatest Star Warriors to ever serve in the GSA before her untimely demise?"

"But what good did it do her or us?" Arthur demanded. "None! She perished all the same along with our planet! Now we have no ruler, but a Steward and not a people but a remnant! With Kirby, there is hope for us! She is strong, yes, and that strength needs to get passed down!"

"Hmph!" Meta Knight scoffed. "Can you not see you are plotting in vain? Remember that there is the Whiff Storm to take into consideration!"

They went still.

"Yes…" Sir Arthur conceded softly. "But with such few of us left what are the odds?"

"Slim," Meta Knight granted. "But still provable. Arthur, you married Grande Dame Guinevere without the Whiff Storm in hopes of adding to our dwindling numbers. However, you have yet to bring forth any heirs."

Sir Arthur seemed to wilt while Sir Lancelot's grip on his spear tightened as his eyes dimmed to a sully gray. "That is true, but only for now," Arthur assured him. "We have researchers currently looking into other technologies that could assist with that issue."

Meta Knight stood straighter, growing more assured in his argument. "Ah, but without the Whiff Storm, it's next to impossible to conceive a puffling. Whether we have a healthy puffbearing aged Dame at our disposal or not," he finished.

Something in the air shifted. For all his rage, Arthur was now suddenly cold. "If that's the case then wouldn't that make you an impossibility, Meta Knight…" his lavender eyes narrowed unkindly. "… or perhaps a living abomination?"

Falala and Fololo gasped at the cutting exchange. They didn't know exactly what the knight was referring to but to outright call your fellow comrade an abomination was not nice!

"As I said, our technological advances will soon see the revival of our people. The Whiff Storm will no longer be needed…" with a keen eye, Arthur glanced around. Now aware that the cappies and all the guests were watching them, hanging onto his every word. "…we will continue this conversation in private," he announced, going quiet.

"Then there won't be much to talk about, boss," Sir Percival snorted. "We have just spewed out all our business like Galahad's drawls on laundry day!"

"Hey!"

The yammering all came to hush when suddenly Kirby and Dr. Yabui came back. Kirby was positively beaming as Dr. Yabui stepped up to the microphone. He folded his hands behind his back and announced, "Kirby is the female variant of whatever species she is."

The crowd remained unmoved. All was quiet until a sarcastic, "…we knoooow!" rang out from a cappie teenager, who sounded suspiciously like Spikehead. "And she is Kiridian you quack!"

Dr. Yabui sniffled, his gray mustache twitching irately. "Well… good!" he huffed. He exited the stage without another word.

"Kirby, come hither!" Sir Arthur beckoned to her.

Kirby blinked slowly.

"Seriously, Arthur, who on this side of the galaxy talks like that anymore?" Sir Percival rolled his eyes. "Hey, Kirby!" he called out. "What Arthur meant was for you to come down here!"

Kirby's face brightened. "Oh, okay!" she opened her mouth and inhaled enough air to inflate herself. She floated down to them like a pink balloon and then exhaled to get her feet back on the ground.

Arthur and the knights approached her quickly. "Young Kirby! Please forgive us for our grievous ignorance!" Arthur bowed to her. He took up her paw and pressed it to the top of his mask. "We had not known what you truly were!"

"Uh…" Kirby appeared confused. "…sure?"

"I'm sorry too," Tiff apologized as well. "We referred to you as a little boy for years!"

The pinkette shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"Of course it does!" Tiff retorted, failing her arms in the air.

"Wait…" suddenly appearing unnerved, Tuff asked, "And you've been using the boy's room this whole time?"

Kirby tilted her head. "Um, yes?" As if she could not understand why everyone was so upset.

Tuff failed his arms around in a panic similar to Tiff. "Oh, sweet Nova, that means she's seen my junk!" he freaked.

"It's nothing to look at," Kirby remarked in hopes of calming Tuff down.

But now he was spitting mad. "NOT MUCH TO LOOK AT?!"

Tiff ran a hand down her face. "Use the ladies room from now on, Kirby, okay?" she groaned. "That includes the dressing rooms as well."

"Sure," Kirby mumbled in agreement. It didn't matter to her. She did not need to wear clothing like Tiff and all the rest of the cappies.

"Oh, this poor wench is without a veil! Stand still, my lady!" Sir Lancelot took some sheer folded silk out of his armor pocket and proceeds to drape it across the puffling's nose and cheeks.

Kirby smiled. Unsure why they needed to put a veil on her, but it was pretty and it smelled good. Due to her small size, Lancelot had to loop it around twice and secured it on the back in a makeshift bow.

"…There!" he stepped back, looking relieved. "At least now you can have some modesty, little mademoiselle!"

Arthur frowned suddenly. "That veil belongs to my wife," he recognized it. "How you come by it?"

Sir Lancelot fidgeted a bit. "Erm… you see… ahem! Lady Guinevere… um, she asked me to pick it up from the cleaners. But I didn't have time to return it to her before we departed so I kept it on me until I could return it to her."

"Huh?" Kirby tilted her head to the side. Something in Sir Lancelot's statement didn't sound right-

"Oh," Arthur's tone brightened, all his suspicion gone. "I see! Well, it is a good thing you had it." Behind his back Meta Knight visibly rolled his eyes, Sir Percival let a snort of disgust and Sir Galahad simply facepalmed.

"You are to come with us, Kirby," Arthur continued.

"For what?" she asked.

Meta Knight suddenly seemed uneasy the way he wrapped himself tighter in his cape. "It seems Kirby that we must give you…" his voice faltered a bit before clearing his throat. "Ahem…" the talk" now. As a girl, it is far more important. The females of our species grow a bit differently."

"Our…?" Kirby almost couldn't believe the word that came from her Mentor's mouth. She looked at each of the knights before her. "…are you all really like me?"

Arthur glared over at Meta Knight. "Did you tell this poor lass anything?"

Meta Knight had the nerve to send him a disgruntled look. "I was going to…"

"And when would that be?" Arthur demanded. "When she lays an egg and doesn't know how it got there!?"

Kirby gasped with her eyes sparkling. "You mean I can lay eggs like Dyna Blade-"

"Hold on, did you just say ya'll are all the same species?!" King Dedede interrupted rudely from behind. Having to heave himself from his table to be in their midst.

"Sire, this does not concern you," Meta Knight warned him coldly.

Dedede crossed his arms defiantly. "It's my land and you're my subjects! Therefore it's my concern!" he retorted.

"I am your subject, yes, but Kirby and the rest of the Star Veterans are not-"

"Yeah, yeah!" Dedede waved Meta Knight off. "So what were you yammering on about "our species?" Does this mean that under that helmet of yours, you ain't nothing but a little creampuff like Kirby here?"

Dedede looked back and forth between the two. His eyes settled back on Meta Knight and started imagining him without all the armor.

King Dedede let loose a boisterous laugh. "Ahhahahah! Meta's a puffball! I can't believe it! HAHAHAHAHA! I will call you Blueberry Knight from now on-" Dedede stopped laughing when he heard the shrill of a sword being pulled from its satchel. "Huh?" he only had to blink and he found himself at the pointed edge of Galaxia.

"A puffball I may be, sire," Meta Knighted hissed dangerously low. "But I warn you to never to underestimate Kiridians. It shall be the last thing you will do!"

Dedede gulped. "Ahaha… " he delicately pushed the sword away. "No need to get all pointy there, Meta Knight. It was just a joke. You should take one once in a while; it does a soul good!"

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Next Chapter: Behind the Mask

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